Equine mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are commonly transported, chilled or frozen, to veterinary clinics. These MSC must remain viable and minimally affected by culture, transport, or injection processes. The safety of two carrier solutions developed for optimal viability and excipient use were evaluated in ponies, with and without allogeneic cord blood-derived (CB) MSC. We hypothesized that neither the carrier solutions nor CB-MSC would elicit measurable changes in clinical, hematological, or biochemical parameters. In nine ponies (study 1), a bolus of HypoThermosol® FRS (HTS-FRS), CryoStor® CS10 (CS10), or saline was injected IV (n = 3/treatment). Study 2, following a 1-week washout period, 5 × 107 pooled allogeneic CB-MSCs were administered IV in HTS-FRS following 24 h simulated chilled transport. Study 3, following another 1-week washout period 5 × 107 pooled allogeneic CB-MSCs were administered IV in CS10 immediately after thawing. Nine ponies received CB-MSCs in study 2 and 3, and three ponies received the cell carrier media without cells. CB-MSCs were pooled in equal numbers from five unrelated donors. In all studies, ponies were monitored with physical examination, and blood collection for 7 days following injection. CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte populations were also evaluated in each blood sample. In all three studies, physical exam, complete blood cell count, serum biochemistry, and coagulation panel did not deviate from established normal ranges. Proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes increased at 168 h postinjection in CB-MSC treatment groups regardless of the carrier solution. Decreases in CD4+/CD8+ double positive populations were observed at 24 and 72 h in CB-MSC-treated animals. There was no difference in viability between CB-MSCs suspended in HTS-FRS and CS10. HTS-FRS and CS10 used for low volume excipient injection of MSC suspensions were not associated with short-term adverse reactions. HTS-FRS and CS10 both adequately maintain CB-MSC viability following hypothermic or frozen simulated transport, respectively. CB-MSCs do not elicit clinical abnormalities, but allogeneic stimulation of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte populations may occur. Future studies should include in vitro or in vivo evaluation of cell-mediated or adaptive immunity to autologous, identical allogeneic, or MSC originating from additional unrelated individuals in order to better characterize this response.

Male costs of mating are now thought to be widespread. The two-spot ladybird beetle (Adalia bipunctata) has been the focus of many studies of mating and sexual selection, yet the costs of mating for males are unknown. The mating system of A. bipunctata involves a spermatophore nuptial gift ingested by females after copulation. In this study, we investigate the cost to males of mating and of transferring spermatophores in terms of lifespan, ejaculate production and depletion of nutritional reserves. We found that males faced a strong trade-off between mating and survival, with males that were randomly assigned to mate a single time experiencing a 53% reduction in post-mating lifespan compared to non-mating males. This is among the most severe survival costs of a single mating yet reported. However, spermatophore transfer did not impact male survival. Instead, the costs associated with spermatophores appeared as a reduced ability to transfer spermatophores in successive matings. Furthermore, males ingested more food following spermatophore transfer than after matings without spermatophores, suggesting that spermatophore transfer depletes male nutritional reserves. This is to our knowledge the first report of an effect of variation in copulatory behaviour on male foraging behaviour. Overall, our study highlights the advantages of assessing mating costs using multiple currencies, and suggests that male A. bipunctata should exhibit mate choice.

The present research examines the conditions under which educating non-stigmatized individuals about the experiences of members of stigmatized groups leads to paternalistic or more respectful views of the target. We propose that when these efforts ask members of non-stigmatized groups to focus only on the difficulties experienced by stigmatized targets, they will lead to more paternalistic views of targets because they portray targets as being in need of help. In contrast, we propose that when these efforts take a broader focus on stigmatized targets and include their resilience in the face of their difficulties, they will lead to more respectful views of targets. Four studies supported these predictions. Across studies, White participants who focused only on a Black target’s difficulties subsequently perceived the target as more helpless and less competent than controls. Participants who focused on the target’s resilience in the face of difficulties perceived him as more competent.

We provide evidence to substantiate the learning potential of eportfolios by focusing on instructor variables that influence eportfolio learning experiences. We conducted a mixed-methods study of over 800 students across 30 courses. Using survey, interview, and focus group data, we argue that instructors’ approaches to eportfolio activities play a critical but underappreciated role in whether the eportfolio will be a valued student learning experience. By adapting categorizations of deep, surface, and strategic learning, we argue that an instructor’s approach to eportfolios can be classified in a similar manner. We analyze how the instructor adheres to eportfolio best practices, and how the instructor manages student expectations and relays the importance of the eportfolio. As a result, we propose that instructors too can adopt a deep, surface, or strategic approach to eportfolios. Our data show that students generally benefit most when instructors adopt a deep, intentional approach to eportfolios, such as having a long-term investment in the course (e.g., teaching it more than one time), taking a hands-on approach with the administration of the eportfolio, and collaboratively designing the eportfolio activity. Nous présentons des preuves afin de justifier le potentiel d’apprentissage des ePortfolios en nous concentrant sur les variables des instructeurs qui influencent les expériences d’apprentissage présentées par les ePortfolios. Nous avons mené une étude à méthodologie mixte auprès de plus de 800 étudiants dans 30 cours différents. Nous avons recueilli des données suite à des sondages, des entrevues et des groupes de discussion et nous en avons déduit que les activités préparées pour les ePortfolios par les instructeurs jouent un rôle primordial mais toutefois non apprécié à sa juste valeur pour déterminer si le ePortfolio va être une expérience d’apprentissage enrichissante. En adaptant des catégorisations d’apprentissage profond, de surface et stratégique, nous pensons que l’approche d’un instructeur vis-à-vis du ePortfolio peut être classifiée de la même manière. Nous analysons la manière dont l’instructeur adhère aux meilleures pratiques du ePortfolio ainsi que la manière dont l’instructeur gère les attentes des étudiants et transmet l’importance du ePortfolio. En conséquence, nous proposons que les instructeurs eux aussi peuvent adopter une approche profonde, en surface et stratégique vis-à-vis des ePortfolios. Nos données indiquent qu’en général, les étudiants bénéficient le plus quand les instructeurs adoptent une approche profonde et intentionnelle vis-à-vis des ePortfolios, comme par exemple le fait de consacrer un investissement à long-terme dans le cours (par exemple, le fait de l’enseigner davantage qu’une seule fois), d’adopter une approche pratique vis-à-vis de l’administration du ePortfolio, et en assurant la conception en collaboration des activités du ePortfolio.

In their everyday lives, members of cross-race and same-sex-parent families-which we refer to as "nontraditional families"-find that their family status is subject to scrutiny and questioning. 1 In a recent example, police were summoned by a Walmart security guard to investigate a White father with his mixed-race daughters after a